Current rectifier



June'5, 1923.

' c. J. GARDEEN CURRENT RECTIFIER Filed May 9, 1921 Patented June 5,1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL J. GARDEEN, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

CURRENT Application filed May 9,

i To all whom it may concern sion of a simple arrangement fortransforming currents of various voltages.

The invention has as an added object the production of an arrangementcapable of performin the above feature, in which a liquid conductingsubstance may be utilized in conjunction with metallic contact makingelements, which intermittently contact with the liquid to cause thecurrent to be transformed from that of one character to that of another.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a receptacle for theliquid which will maintain the liquid in a position to be engaged by thecontact making elements during the operation of the device.

It is also an object to accomplish these and other advantages in asimple and effective manner.

qThe invention will be explained in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, which illustrates one form of which the invention issusceptible, it being understood however that changes and modificationsthereof may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theappended claims forming a part hereof.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a rectifier constructed according to oneembodiment of the invention and diagrammatically illustrates itsconnections to transform alternating current to direct; and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in thedrawings, the use of a rotatable container is contemplated. Thiscontainer is provided for the purpose of confining therein a conductingliquid which may be mercury alone or mercury and oil, the latter beingemployed to prevent arcing as the contact with the mercury is made andbroken, and to prevent oxidation of the mercury. This liquid of mercuryand oil RECTIFIER.

1921. Serial No. 468,131.

may be employed when a high voltage is being rectified. Metallic ringsare employed and arranged to extend into the liquid when the device isin operation, the liquid being moved with relation thereto by means ofthe action of centrifugal force during the rotation of the container. Asynchronous motor is also employed, the shaft thereof being providedwith one or more contacts which intermittently engage the liquid ormercury and in addition is provided with a disc which is constantly inengagement with the mercury, when the device is in operation, themercury being moved into contact with the disc by the centrifugal forceimparted thereto by the rotation of the container. Thus as the containeris rotated the conducting liquid will be brought into contact with therings which lead to the external circuit and includes a transformer.This liquid will also be brought into contact with the disc providedupon the motor shaft and into a position in which it may be engaged bythe contacts provided upon this shaft when said shaft is rotated.

The rings which cooperate with the mercury and the contacts rovided uponthe shaft are connected to the secondary winding of the transformer andas said contacts are alternately caused to close the circuit insynchronism with the alternating voltage, direct current is supplied tothe load circuit which is connected by suitable wiring to the ring withwhich the disc provided upon the motor shaft cooperates.

In the structure employed in the embodiment of the invention illustratedin the drawings a rotatable casing 10 is employed. This casing may bedriven by a motor 11 or in any other suitable manner, and is designed toprovide a receptacle 12 and the enlarged portion 13. The receptacle 12is employed to confine the liquid when the device is at rest and isarranged with respect to the'enlarged portion 13 so that the liquidconductor may pass from the receptacle 12 to the enlarged portion whenthe casing is rotated by the motor 11. To facilitate this passage of theliquid conductor from the receptacle to the enlarged portion, thoseparts communicate with each other which allows the liquid to pass fromthe smaller receptacle to the enlarged portion when the casing isrotated sufficiently to allow centrifugal force to act thereon and causethis. The rotation of the casing causes the liquid to be maintained in.the larger portion of the casing when the same reaches a predeterminedspeed of rotation. However, after this rotation of the casing ceases theliquid will again be lodged in the receptacle 12. The uppermost orenlarged portion of the casing 10 is lined with an insulating material14 which is formed to produce the inwardly projecting annular steppedledges 15, 16, 17 and 18, and flange 19. This insulator 14 is furtherprovided with the annular recesses 20, 21, 22 and 23, which are arrangedbetween said ledges. These ledges are provided to divide the liquidwhich in this instance is mercury into separate annular rings or bodieswhich are successively formed as the mercury passes from the receptacle12 to the enlarged part. The stepped ledges and recesses cooperate withthe centrifugal force to cause the formation of the annular liquidrings, as the casing is rotated by the motor 11 until all excepting theuppermost recess, is filled. This uppermost recess is substantiallyprovided to accommodate any excess of the liquid and to prevent itsflowing over the uppermost edge of the casing. A plurality of rings 24,25 and 26 are employed which are respectfully arranged in the recesses20, 21 and 22, they being held stationarily with respect to the rotatingcasing 10 in any suitable manner, as by the bracket 27. These rings areeach provided with an extension which provides a terminal to which theconductors which lead therefrom may be attached. The rings 24 and 25 areconnected to the secondary winding of the transformer diagrammaticallyillustrated in the drawings and designated by the numeral 28. The otherring as 26 is connected to load circuit 29.

From the foregoing description itis evident that as the casing isrotated the mercury is caused to flow from the container or receptacle12 towards the uppermost end of the casing, which causes the mercury tofind its way into and be maintained in the annular recesses formedbetween the ledges above referred to, and as the metallic rings 24, 25and 26 are also arranged in these recesses these rings and the mercuryor liquid conductor will contact with each other.

A synchronous motor 30 is arranged with respect to the casing 10, sothat its shaft 31 may project into said casing. This motor shaft isprovided with the insulator 32 and carries the disc 33 and the contactelements 34 and 35. This disc and contact elements are respectivelyarranged adjacent the recesses 20, 21 and 22, so that they may contactwith the liquid conductor when the same is arranged within saidrecesses. The disc 33 is arranged so that it will at all times engagethe liquid when the latter lodges in the recess arranged adjacent to it.The contact elements 34 and 35 however, are constructed so that theywill intermittently and successively co ntact with the liquid lodgedwithin the particular recesses arranged adjacent or in proximity tothem.. As these contact elements engage the liquid the circuit is closedbetween them and the rings 24 and 25, by the conducting liquid. Bypermitting these contact elements 34 and 35 to alternately contact withthe liquid in synchronism with the alternating voltage at each halfcycle of like polarity from the secondary of the transformer, directcurrent is supplied to the load circuit.

To cause the operation of the device the motor 11 is actuated and byvirtue of the fact that the casing is secured thereto it is caused torotate therewith. As the casing is brought to a certain speed ofrotation the mercury confined in the receptacle 1O gradually movesupwardly towards the enlarged part of the casing successively, enteringthe recesses 20 to 23, within which it will be held, forming it intorings substantially corresponding to the recesses. The rings such as 24,25 and 26, being arranged so that a portion thereof extends into theirrespective recesses, they will therefore contact with the conductingliquid arranged in said grooves, and as the contact elements 34 and 35alternately contact with the conducting liquid in the recesses 21 and22, in synchronism with the alternating voltage flowing from thesecondary Winding of the transformer 28 the current is transformed. Thistransformed current flows through the shaft 31 to the disc 33 which isalso in contact with the fluid contained in recess 20 which closes thecircuit between the disc and the ring 26 and carries the transformed, oras in the present structure, direct current to the load circuit 29.

From the foregoing description of the device it is evident that asimple, inexpensive arrangement is produced for transforming currentfrom that of one character to that of another, which utilizes a liquidconductor with which the contact elements alternately engage insynchronism with the alternations of the current to be rectified.

Having thus described the invention what I claim and desire to cover byLetters Patent is:

1. In a current rectifier, the combination of a member in which aconducting fluid is confined provided with a portion in which the fluidcollects during rectification, contact making elements, means fordriving said contacts and member with relation to each other, saidcontact making elements being supported in said portion, and meansacting through the agency of centrifugal force on said fluid to causesaid fluid to move into said portion and into engagement with saidcontact making elements.

2. In a current rectifier, the combination the agency ofcentrifugalforce on said fluid to' cause said fluid to move into saidportion and into engagement with said contact making elements.

3. In a current rectifier, the combination of a fluid container in whicha conducting fluid is confined and a portion into which the fluidcollects during rectification, contact making elements supported in saidportion, means acting through the agency of centrifugal force on saidfluid to cause said fluid to move into said portion and into engagementwith said contact making elements, and means for driving certain of saidcontacts in synchronism with an alternating current supply.

4. In a current rectifier, the combination of a member havingcommunicating portions, a conducting fluid which collects in one portionduring rectification, fixed and movable contact making elementssupported in said portion in which the fluid collects, means for drivingsaid movable contacts and member with relation to each other, and meansacting through the agency of centrifugal force on said fluid to causesaid fluid to move into said portion in which the contact elements aresupported.

5. In a current rectifier, the combination of a member havingcommunicating portions, a conducting fluid arranged to move from oneportion to the other during rectification, said portion into which thefluid is moved being provided with an annular trough, contact makingelements extending into said trough, means acting through the agency ofcentrifugal force on said fluid to cause said fluid to move into saidtrou h and into engagement with said contact ma ing elements.

6. In a current rectifier, the combination of a rotatable casing havingcommunicating portions, a conducting fluid which collects in one portionduring rectification, contact making elements rotatably supported insaid portion in which the fluid collects, means for driving saidcontacts and member relatively vto each other, and means acting throughthe agency of centrifugal force on said fluid to cause said fluid tomove into said portion in which the contact elements are supported.

7. In a current rectifier, the combination of a motor, a plurality ofcontact elements arranged upon the shaft of said motor, a transformer,conductors connected with the secondary winding of the transformer, saidcontact elements being operable to respectively cooperate with saidconductors, a conducting liquid operable through the agency ofcentrifugal force on said fluid to move said fluid into engagement withsaid contact elements and said conductors, and means for arresting theflow of said liquid when it reaches said contacts and conductors.

8. In a current rectifier, the combination of a plurality of contactelements, conductors adapted to be connected with the secondary windingof a transformer, a conducting liquid operable through the medium ofcentrifugal force acting thereon to cause said fluid to settle betweensaid contact elements and said conductors, a wall for arresting themovement of said liquid when it reaches said contacts and conductors,said contact elements being movable into engagement with the conductingliquid in synchronism with the alternations of the current to berectified.

9. In a current rectifier, the combination of a rotatable member havingcommunicating portions, a conducting fluid which 001- lects in oneportion during rectification, contact making elements supported in saidportion in which the liquid collects, and means acting through theagency of centrifugal force on said fluid to cause said fluid to moveinto said portion in which the contact elements are supported and intoengagement with said contactmaking elements, certain of said contactelements being movable with respect to the first mentioned rotatablemember.

10. In a current rectifier, the combination of a rotatable member havingcommunicating portions, a conducting fluid which collects in one portionduring rectification, contact making elements supported in said portionin which the fluid collects, said contact making elements includingcontacts which intermittently engage said fluid, and means actingthrough the agency of centrifugal force on said fluid to cause saidfluid to move into said portion in which the contact elementsaresupported and into engagement with said contact making elements.

11. In a current rectifier, the combination of a rotatable member, aconducting fluid therein, contact making elements arranged in therotatable member, one or more of the contact making elements beingrotatable with-respect to said rotatable member, and means actingthrough the agency of centrifugal force upon said fluid when the firstmentioned member is rotated to cause said fluid to move into engagementwit said contact making elements.

12. In a current rectifier, the combinacasing, said casing providing areceptacle ,within which the liquid is confined when said casing is atrest, a plurality of recesses arranged above the receptacle for thereception of the liquid upon the rotation of the casing, metallicconductors arranged in the recesses, and rotatable contacts arrangedwith respect to said recesses to permit them to intermittently engagethe liquid in said recesses, another contact also arranged to contactwith the liquid in said recesses, said first mentioned contacts beingarranged to alternately engage said liquid in synchronism with thealternation of the current to be rectified.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto su'bscribe my name this 30th day ofApril, A. 1)., 1921.

CARL. J. GARDEEN.

